Maxwell Garthshore facts for kids
Dr. Maxwell Garthshore (born October 28, 1732 – died March 1, 1812) was an important Scottish doctor. He was also a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a famous group for scientists.
Life of a Doctor
Maxwell Garthshore was born in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, on October 28, 1732. His father, George Garthshore, was a minister there for fifty years. Maxwell went to grammar school in Kirkcudbright.
When he was fourteen, Maxwell moved to Edinburgh. He became an apprentice to a doctor and studied medicine at the university. Before finishing his degree, he joined the army. He worked as a surgeon's helper when he was twenty-two years old.
In 1756, Dr. Garthshore started his own medical practice. He settled in a town called Uppingham. He took over the practice of another doctor, John Fordyce.
After eight years in Uppingham, he was encouraged to move to London. To help his career there, he earned his M.D. degree from Edinburgh University in 1764. He also became a licensed doctor in London.
Dr. Garthshore became very successful. He specialized in helping women during childbirth. He was appointed as a doctor at the British Lying-in Hospital in London.
He became a member of the Royal Society in 1775. This is a very old and respected group for scientists. He also joined the Antiquarian Society of London, which studies old things. In 1792, he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Important scientists like James Gregory suggested him.
Dr. Garthshore was a well-known doctor of his time. He was known for being a kind and generous person. He helped many people, including Anne Hunter, the wife of a famous surgeon named John Hunter.
Maxwell Garthshore passed away on March 1, 1812. He was buried in Bunhill Fields cemetery.
Interestingly, Dr. Garthshore looked a lot like William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. William Pitt was a very famous British politician. Once, in the House of Commons, someone even pointed out Dr. Garthshore, thinking he was Pitt! His portrait was painted by Slater and engraved by Joseph Collyer. A sculpture of his head, called a bust, was made by John Bacon in 1804.
His Medical Writings
Dr. Garthshore wrote several papers and books about medicine. These were important for sharing his knowledge with other doctors.
- His first paper for his degree was about using a plant called poppy. It focused on how it could help women giving birth.
- He wrote two papers that were read to the Society of Physicians in 1769. These were published in medical journals.
- He also wrote about unusual cases of pregnancy and problems with the uterus in 1787.
- One of his interesting papers was about a case where a woman had many babies at once. This was published in a science journal called Philosophical Transactions.
His Family
Dr. Garthshore's first wife passed away in 1765. She owned a small estate called Ruscoe in Kirkcudbrightshire. They had one son who survived. In 1795, he married his second wife, Mrs. Murrel. She passed away a few years before him. His son, William Garthshore, later became a Member of Parliament.
